Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

Chapter 240 A Different Kind of Disciple Life
When Li Feng heard Master Wang's question, he told Master Wang about his experience at Master Wang Shichu's painting studio in Hongdu. After hearing Li Feng's story, Master Wang looked at Deputy Factory Director Zhu with some doubt. At this moment, Deputy Factory Director Zhu immediately affirmed to Master Wang.

“Everything Li Feng said is true. This happened just a few days ago, and Master Wang Shichu can testify to it.”

Master Wang knew that Wang Shichu had only taught the theory once and then demonstrated it once, and Li Feng had already learned the technique of light color painting. This also showed that the young man in front of him was very intelligent.

Then Master Wang turned his gaze to Li Feng and asked him directly.

“Young man, I always keep my word. From today onwards, I will take you as my apprentice.”

"Although it's only for a month, it should be enough for you with your aptitude."

As soon as Master Wang finished speaking, a mechanical voice echoed in Li Feng's mind.

"bite!".

"Congratulations, host, for completing Master Wang's test and creating a light-colored landscape porcelain painting."

"Ding! Congratulations, host, you have acquired the Wang School of Landscape Painting Techniques."

When Li Feng heard the system notification in his mind that his character was complete, he breathed a sigh of relief and immediately bowed to Master Wang in response.

"Li Feng greets his master."

Seeing that Li Feng was so sensible, Master Wang nodded to him and said...

"Starting today, you'll be staying here. The room next to mine is empty; you can put your luggage here later."

Before Li Feng could speak, Deputy Factory Director Zhu, who was standing next to him, immediately responded excitedly to Master Wang.

"I'll have someone bring Li Feng's luggage, as well as rice and other daily necessities, over later."

Master Wang nodded, and then he spoke to Deputy Factory Director Zhu.

"Um!".

"Alright!"

"Wait a minute, remember to bring some writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones with you."

"Especially for raw Xuan paper, bring a couple of cuts."

At this moment, Li Feng was puzzled when he heard Master Wang ask for writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. He wondered why.

And most importantly, you have to bring two pieces of raw Xuan paper.

As far as Li Feng knows, in ceramic painting, raw Xuan paper is mainly used for rubbings, and then for writing calligraphy.

But if you're using a calligraphy brush, do you really need this much Xuan paper?

That's two hundred sheets of Xuan paper!

Moreover, this is large Xuan paper.

Although Li Feng wanted to ask, he refrained from doing so.

Finally, after exchanging a few polite words with Director Liu and Deputy Factory Director Zhu, Master Wang asked Li Feng to see the guests off.

When Li Feng escorted Deputy Factory Director Zhu to the alley entrance, Deputy Factory Director Zhu instructed Li Feng to study hard. As for Li Feng's things, Deputy Factory Director Zhu would have Commissioner Zhou deliver them later.

At this moment, Li Feng first expressed his gratitude to Deputy Factory Director Zhu, and then apologized to Commissioner Zhou.

"Commissioner Zhou, thank you for your help."

Commissioner Zhou immediately said it was no problem, and told Li Feng to make the most of this opportunity.

At this moment, Deputy Factory Director Zhu nodded, and then he spoke to Li Feng.

"Once you've learned enough, you can go back to the factory to prepare for the establishment of the light-colored enamel group. The establishment of a group will take at least a year and a half, so don't worry about not having enough time."

"We won't let you miss the college entrance exam."

After hearing what Deputy Factory Director Zhu said, Li Feng suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

At this moment, Director Liu smiled at Li Feng.

"Comrade Li Feng, I hope you can seize this opportunity. Master Wang doesn't usually take on apprentices. Many people want to become his students, but he has refused them all. Master Wang has only taken on three apprentices so far, and they are all now at the eighth level of painting."

"If you can learn Master Wang's light color painting technique, you will have no problem advancing to the eighth level of painting."

After hearing what Director Liu said, Li Feng nodded to Director Liu.

"I see".

After seeing off Deputy Factory Director Zhu and the others, Li Feng returned to Master Wang's house.

After Li Feng returned to Master Wang's house, Master Wang simply asked Li Feng to tidy up the room next door. Li Feng nodded and didn't say anything more, so he went immediately.

The room next door wasn't big; it was entirely made of wood, with a dim light bulb in the center of the wooden ceiling, which Li Feng estimated to be between five and ten watts.

Seeing the way shouldn't be a problem, but seeing something clearly would be a bit difficult. The room only has a single bamboo bed, and around the bed are porcelain paintings against the walls.

However, all of these porcelain paintings are displayed upside down.

Therefore, all the images are against the wall.

Li Feng also knew that this arrangement was only to reduce wear and tear on the picture.

Next, Li Feng quickly gave the room a quick cleaning.

After Li Feng finished cleaning the room, it was almost eleven o'clock. After Li Feng went outside, Master Wang told him to start a fire and cook.

Master Wang's words stunned Li Feng.

He hadn't expected that learning here would involve cooking and starting a fire. Then he suddenly realized that being an apprentice here seemed different from being an apprentice in a factory, because when you were an apprentice at your master's house, you actually had to help your master with chores.

This is considered an old tradition.

When Li Feng thought of this, he couldn't help but nod to Master Wang.

"Master Wang, what would you like to eat?"

"I'll make it for you."

After a moment of contemplation, Master Wang spoke directly to Li Feng.

"Make me a carp, and two vegetable dishes too."

"The carp is in the basin in the kitchen."

After listening to Master Wang's instructions, Li Feng went straight to wash the rice and cook.

Cooking shouldn't be difficult for Li Feng, since he has culinary skills.

Back when they lived in a courtyard house in Beijing, Li Feng simply found cooking too troublesome, so he often went to Sha Zhu's place to cook.

Right now, there's still no problem cooking for Chef Wang.

After more than forty minutes, Li Feng quickly prepared the dishes.

For the carp, Li Feng braised it. As for the vegetables, he simply stir-fried a cabbage and made a vegetable soup.

At this moment, Chef Wang smelled the aroma of Li Feng's braised fish. He was surprised that Li Feng's cooking skills were so good that he could make the fish smell so good. At this moment, he couldn't help but feel his mouth water.

Li Feng brought several dishes to the table, then he served Master Wang a bowl of rice, and then Li Feng shouted at Master Wang.

"master!".

"The food is ready."

Master Wang simply replied with one sentence.

"I know." After saying this, Chef Wang got up and walked to the dining table. After looking at the dishes Li Feng had prepared, he couldn't help but praise Li Feng.

"Li Feng!"

"I didn't know you were such a good cook."

"You're much better than my previous apprentices, at least when it comes to cooking, you're better than them."

After saying this, Master Wang picked up the chopsticks on the table, took a piece of fish, and started eating. A smile then appeared on his face.

"sure!".

"It is indeed delicious."

He then pointed in a direction to Li Feng and gave him instructions.

"Go and get me a bottle of wine."

Upon hearing this, Li Feng got up and, following the direction indicated by Master Wang, handed Master Wang a bottle of Red Star Erguotou.

At this point, Master Wang took a sip of wine and a bite of food, and within half an hour he was quite tipsy.

After finishing his meal, Master Wang went straight to his room to sleep.

Li Feng was surprised that Master Wang drank a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) in the middle of the day.

However, Li Feng suddenly realized that since Master Wang was retired and at home, it was reasonable for him to drink like this.

So when Li Feng thought of this, he tidied up the table and then went to wash the dishes.

After Li Feng finished washing the dishes, he went back to the room next to Master Wang's.

Next, Li Feng lay down on the single bamboo bed, then opened his control panel and began to look at it.

Host: Li Feng

Age: 19 years old

Occupation: Full-time ceramic worker (specializing in ceramic painting)

Status: Level 4 Painter

职业技能：拉胚4级（1600/285）陶瓷绘画5级（3200/243）格斗技巧1级（200/15）古董鉴定1级（200/10）英语精通4级（1600/517俄语精通1级（200/192）机械精通4级（1600/0）书法精通1级（200/0）歌曲制作2级（400/127）编程精通1级（200/0）化学精通1级（200/0）摄影精通1级（200/1）

Life Skills: Cooking Level 1 (200/43).

Potential: Painting, mechanics.

特殊技能：十钧之力、马骀画宝全部绘画技能1级（200/15）、随身空间（1立方米（备注能够随时放入取出无生命物体））浅绛彩技法精通1级（200/38）汪派山水技法（初级）。

Mastering the technology: Complete lithography machine technology.

Unfinished task

1:

"To tutor Ding Qiunan in English and improve her English proficiency."

"Completing the task will reward you with a random level 1 skill."

2:

"Activate the task of painting the Western Frontier Songs and Dances on porcelain plaques!"

"Completing tasks can randomly grant you random skills."

At this moment, Li Feng was lying on a single bamboo bed. Looking at the skills he had acquired, Li Feng was surprised because it was the first time he had seen that the Wang School of Landscape Painting techniques were divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.

However, he is only at level one in the light color painting technique. So this month, he will try his best to raise this skill to level four, or at least catch up with or be close to the ceramic painting skill. If he does that, Li Feng will be more confident in preparing for the light color painting group.

The only thing that bothered Li Feng at this moment was that he hadn't finished the task of painting the porcelain plaque depicting the songs and dances of Western Xinjiang. At this moment, Li Feng couldn't help but wonder if he really had to deliver it to Western Xinjiang to complete the task?

Li Feng couldn't help but feel a little strange.

However, Li Feng's thinking at this moment was indeed correct, because the porcelain painting he had drawn was indeed still on its way to the Western Regions. Since there was no railway in the Western Regions, it could only be transported by vehicle, and in this era, the roads were not very good, so the journey was even slower.

Most importantly, this porcelain painting needs to go through layers of review, which takes a certain amount of time. So it's normal that Li Feng didn't complete the task.

Li Feng simply doesn't know this yet.

At this moment, Li Feng simply sighed, then closed his panel and began to rest with his eyes half-closed. After all, he had painted a landscape porcelain plaque that morning, which was indeed quite exhausting.

Therefore, Li Feng needs to rest at this time.

So Li Feng drifted off to sleep.

When Li Feng woke up, it was already past 3 p.m. At this time, Li Feng felt a little dizzy and wondered if it was because he had slept for a long time.

After all, Li Feng had never slept for this long during his afternoon nap.

Li Feng took a deep breath and sat up from the single bamboo bed. He put on his shoes and looked out the window of Master Wang. He noticed that Master Wang was still not up.

Seeing that it was almost evening, Li Feng went to eat and prepare dinner.

Regardless, Li Feng will definitely eat three meals a day.

Although Li Feng doesn't really like cooking, there's nothing he can do about it.

Just as Li Feng finished washing the vegetables in the kitchen, he heard a familiar sound coming from the yard.

At this moment, Li Feng quickly recognized the voice of the person who had just arrived; it was Commissioner Zhou.

When Li Feng learned that it was Commissioner Zhou, he wiped the water off his hands and hurried to the courtyard. There he saw Commissioner Zhou dragging his luggage, writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone into the courtyard.

At this moment, Li Feng quickly took his luggage from Commissioner Zhou and then thanked him somewhat embarrassedly.

"Commissioner Zhou, thank you so much."

"Please bring my luggage from the dormitory."

At this moment, Commissioner Zhou simply smiled at Li Feng and said...

"No need to thank me, by the way..."

"Isn't this what I should do?"

"Deputy Factory Director Zhu will be returning to Changzhou soon, so I'll be in charge of all your food, clothing, housing, and transportation. I have to make sure you're all well taken care of, as you're all our factory's treasures."

After saying this, Commissioner Zhou prepared to turn around and go back to get the rice, since he had also brought Li Feng's food rations for the month.

When Li Feng saw that Commissioner Zhou was about to go to the car to get his rations, he quickly stopped him and turned around to carry the rations from the car onto his own shoulder.

Commissioner Zhou was quite surprised to see Li Feng easily carry over a hundred kilograms of rice on his shoulder while also carrying luggage in his hands. He asked Li Feng this question.

"Li Feng, you're really strong."

"It must weigh over a hundred pounds, right?"

"Can you just lift it onto your shoulder with one hand?"

"That's amazing!"

At this moment, Li Feng couldn't help but smile and humbly said to Commissioner Zhou.

"I used to be a potter!"

"Pulling the potter's wheel requires some strength, so carrying this hundred-odd pounds isn't a problem."

(End of this chapter)